Transcript What are we eating?

GMO facts and Food
Consumption
By Jodi Demerly
BUS301F
What are GMO’s?
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What is a GMO?
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Genetically Modified Organism
Plants or animals created by way of gene splicing that
does not naturally occur in nature
Never been safety tested by the FDA
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20 year old policy says it’s up to the biotech companies to
determine safety of the genetically engineer (GE) foods.
Making billions in profits, yet GE’s foods are directly linked
to increased health problems
Who is responsible?
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The Government
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The United States regulation of modified food is
divided among three agencies
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FDA regulates the safety of GMs that are consumed by
humans or animals along with the EPA
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EPA regulates biopesticides, making sure pesticides are
safe for human consumption
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USDA responsible for inspecting plants and animals and
protecting agriculture against pests and disease
Why the FDA has Failed Consumers
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The United Nations, World Health Organization, and the
American Medical Association have all called for mandatory
safety testing of GE foods.
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No labeling on food
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FDA continually fails to meet the safety testing standards
40 Congress members have urged the FDA to conduct more rigorous
review to no avail
70% or more foods on the market contain GE foods
Received over 1 Million petitions demanding that GMO’s are labeled
FDA’s revolving door policy with Michael Taylor (Monsanto)
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White house (Obama) instructed FDA to promote biotechnology
Agency official in charge was Taylor, Monsanto’s attorney
Now Taylor is the US Food Safety Czar
Who is Monsanto?
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Monsanto is a multinational agricultural
biotechnology corporation based in the US
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Largest producer of GE seeds
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accounting for 90% of seeds planted globally
Introduced Roundup Ready a herbicide that kills
everything but their GE seeds
Develop and use chemical products that have
been banned including
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Agent Orange, DDT, Bovine Growth Hormone, and
PCB’s
Monsanto
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FDA has allowed privatization and patenting of seeds
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Farmers who buy Monsanto’s seeds are required to destroy
all next generation seeds
Then required to buy new seeds from Monsanto every
year
Then sell the same farmers patented Roundup that kills
everything but their plants because all other pesticides on
the market wont work
2012 Monsanto received 23.5 million from patent
infringement lawsuits for cross contamination
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Against farmers that had no control over the wind
Monsanto Continued
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Promise Roundup Ready would increase profits
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Promise GE crops would help the environment by
reducing the need for pesticides
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Average cost to plant one acre of Monsanto’s Soybean’s has
risen 325% and corn up 258%
Farmers used 26% more chemicals per acre
Promise to increase yields to feed the hungry
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400 Scientists backed by 58 governments stated that GM crop
yields do not increase yield and in some cases decline
Non GMO agriculture in developing countries resulted in 79%
yield increase
Health Concerns
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2010 study linked exposure to
pesticides (Roundup) with
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Cancer, sterility, hormone
disruption, birth defects, ADHD,
and lower IQ
Animal testing has linked GE
foods to
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Cancer, reproductive disorder,
miscarriage, organ damage,
allergies, digestive problems,
and autism
http://aksarbent.blogspot.com/2013/04/as-another-report-studies-healthrisks.html
Environment Concerns
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Not only do pesticides contaminate our bodies
they spread into the surrounding soil, water
and air
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Kills off wildlife, birds, insects, amphibians, marine
ecosystem and soil organisms
GMO’s are eliminating Monarch Butterfly
habitats whose population is down 50% in the
United States
Who’s Against Labeling and Why
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Monsanto
Kraft
Pepsico
Coca-Cola
General Mills
Smithfield Foods, Inc
Simply, they would lose
money if the public
knew
http://sandiegofreepress.org/2013/05/the-starting-line-a-real-scandalactivists-around-the-world-to-protest-monsanto-may-25th/watering-gmos/#.
U1r1WmdOXrc
Countries banned GMO crops
http://www.labelgmos.org/the_science_genetically_modified_foods_gmo
GMO, Conventional and Organic
http://www.countrysideorganics.com/2014/04/18/non-gmo-is-an-improvement-but-it-is-not-organic/
What Consumers Can Do
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Educate yourself
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Be aware of what you are buying
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Knowledge is power
Setting standards of what foods you will buy and know
which companies provide foods that contain GMO’s and
don’t buy them!
Know your local farming practices and buy locally or
organic
Diminish political corruption
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Term politicians
References
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http://www.labelgmos.org/the_science_genetically_modified_foods_gmo
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_27143.cfm
http://naturalrevolution.org/gmo-resources/companies-that-oppose-gmolabeling/#2uMTFpZVogGtFL6q.99
http://www.fas.org/biosecurity/education/dualuse-agriculture/2.-agriculturalbiotechnology/us-regulation-of-genetically-engineered-crops.html
http://www.takepart.com/article/2012/09/04/whats-gmo-and-why-should-we-care
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/09/10/study-examines-benefits-organic-foods/
http://whoismonsanto.com/
http://sandiegofreepress.org/2013/05/the-starting-line-a-real-scandal-activists-aroundthe-world-to-protest-monsanto-may-25th/watering-gmos/#.U1r1WmdOXrc
http://www.responsibletechnology.org/10-Reasons-to-Avoid-GMOs#.U1gCwEOcMk.email.
http://www.labelgmos.org/the_science_genetically_modified_foods_gmo
http://www.countrysideorganics.com/2014/04/18/non-gmo-is-an-improvement-but-itis-not-organic/